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Legal‑aid groups and tenant advocates ask lawmakers to boost access‑to‑counsel funding to avert evictions

5589999 · April 8, 2025
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Summary

Massachusetts legal‑aid organizations told the committee that an FY25 start to a state access‑to‑counsel line item has begun operations but needs $5 million to sustain and expand representation in landlord‑tenant cases. Advocates cited stark representation imbalances in eviction courts and urged the Legislature to expand the program in FY26.

Legal‑aid organizations and housing advocates requested a larger, sustained state commitment to the recently launched Access to Counsel program, saying early FY25 funding allowed services to begin but that $5 million in FY26 is needed to preserve and expand representation for tenants.

Annette Duke of the Massachusetts Law Reform…

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